Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented by the Rush- Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Nurses Alumni Association Board and honors those who have brought distinction to the College of Nursing through their service, research, or practice in the nursing profession as well as beyond. Nominees are reviewed by a Distinguished Alumni Awards committee, chaired by Carol J. Farran, DNSc, RN, FAAN (Rush 1985) and are evaluated on the following criteria:

1)      Professional contributions
2)      Community involvement
3)      Education
4)      Clinical focus
5)      Unique characteristics
6)      Alumni activity

We encourage all alumni to nominate a fellow graduate worthy of distinction. Please visit the nominations page to nominate an alumnus/na.

To be eligible for nomination, a candidate:

1)      Must be graduate of Presbyterian, St. Luke’s, Pres-St.
Luke’s, or Rush
2)      Must be living
3)      Cannot have received this award previously
4)      Must be nominated by a graduate of Presbyterian, St.
Luke’s, or Rush
5)      May not self-nominate

The honoree for 2009 was Judith J. McCann, PhD, RN (Rush MSN 1978, DNSc 1991), professor in the Department of Adult Health and Gerontological Nursing at Rush University College of Nursing and a research scientist with the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging. At Homecoming on Sept. 25, 2009, McCann delivered the distinguished alumna lecture "The Challenges and Rewards of Multidsciplinary Collaborative Research."

The Martha Mills, RN, Alumni Service Award

The Martha Mills, RN, Alumni Service Award was established to provide special recognition to alumni and friends of the Rush University College of Nursing who have demonstrated outstanding loyalty and support to the college and/or its alumni association.

The award, named for its first recipient, former alumni association president and longtime volunteer Martha Mills, MS, RN (Presbyterian-St. Luke’s 1965), is awarded by the alumni association at Homecoming on an as-needed basis.